Adjustable lock strike



Sept... 3, 1935. F K. E Z wmm ADJUSTABLE LOCK STRIKE Filed July 51, 1933 INVENTOR.

Ferdinand KEUETZ Patented Sept. 3, 1935 PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE LOCK STRIKE I Ferdinand Karl Goetz, Reading, Pa., assignor to Reading Hardware Corporation, Reading, Pa.,

a corporation,

- -Application July 31,1933, Serial No. 683,056

' 6 Claims. (o1.292 e4o) This invention relates to improvements in lock strikes, and'particularly to an improved means of adjustment in order to compensate for closure and framesagging "and warpageso that the lock boltmay-prope'rly cooperate therewith? @The primary objector this invention is the provision ofaan improved lock strike having im proved-means-for adjusting, thewidth of thebolt' receiving socket, for the purpose of compensating .1 i'ordoorframe or-doo-r sag and warpage.v

, Other objects and'advantages'of this invention will be apparent during the course of the followingg'detailed description; 1 a

- In-the accompanyingdrawing-forming a part :1 ofthis spe'cification, and wherein similarreference" characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

, Figure lis aperspective view ofi-the improved lock strike. i

5 Figure 2 is a perspective view of the improved lock strikewith the size adjusting shims and locking-means therefor in disassembled relation with respectto-the keeper box." i I ,Figures3, uand '5 are-cross sectional views taken substantially on their respective lines in Figure:lofthedrawing.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showingta'modified form of interlockingshim. I

,Figure 7 is a vertical sectional fragmentary view taken through a modified form of lock strike,

wherein the retaining plates or members i are heldin place by screws accessible onlyfrom the 1 rear of the strike'plate; I i

In-the drawing, wherein for thepurpose of illustration; are shown preferred and modified formsef the inventioathe letter Amay generally designate the improved lock strike,-,which may include akeeper box B having shims C detachably associated therewith for the purpose of vary- Inthe mostgeneralform the keeper box will consist of side walls It and II, a top wall 12 and aZbOtiIOIILWaI1-I3L A rear wall I4 is preferably clamped in positionby fingers Hi integral with the sidey top andbottom Walls. .The side; top

and bottom walls are flanged at their front edges to provide theattaching plate I! which has a bolt strike extension H3 at a side thereof. This keeper ing the width of the bolt receiving sockets of the may be pro-' box provides communicating bolt receiving compartments 2!] and 2 l, the former of which is the widest and adapted to receive a latch bolt. The other compartment receives the dead bolt.

The side wall I l of the keeper box, andthe ad- J'acent portions of the top and bottom walls l2 and [3 respectively are properly recessed to provide a suitable socket for receiving the shimsC. It is to be noted that the compartments and 2| at their juncture have a reducing shoulder 24, which is taken advantage of to enable a crimping or ofiset in each of the shims C intermediate its ends, for the purpose of strengthening the same. This offset in the form of shim E is taken advantage of to interlock the shims with each other and with the wall i l as shown in Figure 6.

As shown in Figure 2 each shim C consists of the portions 39 and 3| adapted to fit in the compartments 2| and 20' respectively, along the wall I I; the juncture of these portions and 3| having a horizontal offset 32. At the free end the portion 3| of each shim C has a right angled flange which terminates short of the forward edge of the shim C. Similarly the free end of the portion 36 has an attaching flange 36 which likewise terminates short of the forward edge of the'portion 30. These flanges35 and 36 respectively seat in the recessed socket portions of the Any number of shims C may be providechas desired. They are not all of the same size, since they are nested together and in this respect are complementary for seating in the shim sockets upon the closure, without the necessity of remov-t ing and re-afiixing the keeper box. As shown in the form of invention A only three of the shims 'C are provided, which are suitably nested together; the oiTset portions 32 resting in nested relation upon each other, and the shims C imme- I diately adjacent to the wall ll resting upon the shoulder re. The nested flanges 35 seat in the recessed portion of the wall l2, and similarly the flanges 36 are nested in the recessed portion of the opposite end wall l3,as shown in'Figure 4.

To prevent the accidental removal of the shims, and insure their proper locked positioning within the keeper box, the front face of the keeper box flange I1 is recessed at 4| adjacent the end wall I3, and at 46 adjacent the opposite end'wall. These recesses are of different size and adapted to receive lock members 42 and 43' respectively, in the form of polygonal discs.

These discs are of different size in order that they may be properly assembled after detachment, or they may be interchangeable if found desirable. It is to be particularly noted that the flanges and 36 were terminated at their forward edges short of the front edges of the body portions of the respective shims. This enables the forward edges of these flanges 35 and 36 to lie behind the lock plates 42 and 43 when the latter are in their respective sockets M and 42. This is well shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. The lock plates 42 and 43 are assembled and held in position by means of screws 50 detachably screw threaded in sockets Eii of the keeper box flange H.

In the assemblage of the shims upon the keeper box it is to be noted that the outer surfaces of the retaining plates 52 and 43 are flush with the front surface of the strike plate, as are also the forward edges of the body portions 39 and 3! of the shims C. There are no free and open spaces between the wall I! and the shims C, and this is a considerable advantage over some types of expedients for'adjusting the width of the keeper box socket by means of adjustable movable plates which invariably permit a sedimerit collecting recess between the side wall and the movable or adjustable portion. Another distinct advantage of the present adjustable lock strike is the fact that the adjustment may be taken care of in a very simple and efficient manner without removing the keeper box or rearranging it in its mortise. Furthermore the arrangement is not only practical but simple and economical to manufacture.

In the form of invention shown in Figure 6 the shims E and associated parts of the keeper box are the same as above described except that the side wall H has a shoulder 24 with a surface sloping at an acute angle to the inner surface of the side wall. The offset portions 32 of the shims E, which correspond to the offset portions 32 of the shims C are not at right angles to the body portions til and 3h, but are acutely positioned with respect thereto, in a sort of Z- of the bolt receivingsocket of the keeper box may be adjusted endwise as well as laterally. Thus the shims may be placed at either of the bolt end walls. Indeed it is within the contemplation of the invention to entirely surround the bolt socket of the keeper box with such shims.

In the modified form of invention C illustrated in Figure 7 the front plate or wall l'l of the keeper box above the wall I 2 and below the wall l3eis provided with openings 60. The retaining members or plates ll! and 43 have rearwardly projecting cylindrical shaped portions BI with screw threadedsockets opening rearwardly and. terminating in dead end planes in the respective retaining members. The openings 60 are countersunk and adapted to receive countersunk head retaining screws 5B which are adjustable in the screw threaded sockets in order to hold the retaining plates 42 and 13 in position. With this construction it is necessary to take off the keeper box from the frame in which it is mortised in order to reach the screws 50 for adjusting the number of the shims. The advantage in this construction is that the retaining plates cannot be readily loosened and are protected against unauthorized tampering.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the forms of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a lock strike the combination of a keeper box having dead and latch bolt receiving sockets therein of different widths and communicating with each other and having a lateral offset shoulder at the bolt strike wall where they communicate with each other, and a plurality of shims in nested relation, each shim being offset intermediate its ends and each shim extending into each of the bolt sockets with the offset portions thereof nested together at the shoulder of said sockets.

2. As an article of manufacture a shim for strike plates comprising a body portion having attaching flanges at opposite ends thereof extending transverse thereto and the front edges of which are ofiset rearwardly from the front edge of the body portion.

3. In a lock strike the combination of a keeper box having a bolt receiving socket therein, a plurality of shims in associated contact within the socket along a wall thereof, retaining members at the front of the box for holding the shims in position, and means accessible only from the rear of the keeper box for releasably holding said retaining members in position.

4. A look strike comprising a keeper box having a lock bolt keeper socket therein, a plurality of shims located directly in the bolt receiving portion of said socket in associated contact with the strike side wall of said box and positioned for individual removal and replacement, and fastener devices at the front of the box removably connected therewith and engaging the opposite ends of the shims for releasably holding them in position.

5. A look strike comprising a keeper box having a bolt receiving socket therein, a plurality of shims directly within the bolt receiving portion of said socket in nested relation against the bolt strike wall of said socket, individually removable for selectively varying the width of said socket in order to permit the bolt of a lock to properly engage in the socket without excess play across the width of the socket, and releasable means connected with the keeper box and engageable with the opposite ends of the shims at the top and bottom of the keeper socket for releasably holding the shims in position against said bolt strike wall.

6. A lock strike comprising a keeper box having a bolt receiving socket therein, a plurality of shims removably disposed directly within the bolt receiving portion of said socket and in relatively nested assemblage directly against the bolt strike wall of said socket so as to permit the bolt of a lock to properly engage in the socket, without excess play across the width of the socket. and strike directly against the outermost of said shims, and means for releasably retaining said shims removably within said socket against accidental displacement.

FERDINAND KARL GOE'IZ. 

